Checkmate
by Angel46
Summary: When Artemis is forced into a life-or-death chess match, he discovers something that he never expected...


Checkmate  
  
Excerpt from Artemis Fowl's diary, disk 3  
  
(encrypted)  
  
My life is very valuable to me. I would do very little to deliberately endanger it, let alone actually go as far as sacrificing myself for another person. I find it strange that others would do so. Sticking your neck out for others only gets it chopped off, correct? Imagine my surprise as I discovered that this was not the same philosophy for all other people. Although, I must say that it impresses me to no end, despite the fact that I have been left with no rational proof again. . .  
  
(Flashback)  
  
Artemis felt the back of a cold metal chair press itself against his delicate backbone. His blue eyes narrowed as he studied the teenage boy across from him angrily. The boy, who eerily resembled Artemis himself, locked eyes with Artemis calmly, "Aren't you comfortable? No, of course not. What a shame."  
  
Artemis said through a deceivingly calm façade, "Why am I here? Since this is a rather objectionable area, I gather that I'm not over to discuss politics over caviar and pheasant."  
  
The boy smirked, "Oh, you're a quick one, you are. You must be a real hotshot at school." Seeing the annoyance in Artemis' arctic cobalt eyes, he sipped at a glass of water, "All right then. You're quite right. I haven't invited you over for a friendly chat. I have brought you here for a game of chess. One on one, you and me. The victor gets a great prize."  
  
Artemis wasn't particularly intrigued until the teenager stated that he had kidnapped him for a mere prize. "What?!?" He raged furiously, struggling to break free of the iron shackles that bound him to the metal chair. "You captured me for an idiotic game of chess? And what prize would possibly be worth my time?"  
  
The boy, also known as Ace, stood up and strode over to Artemis' side, leaning over, sea-green eyes boring into Artemis' baby-blue ones, "What prize? Why, your life of course. Or do you mean to tell me that you don't care about that, either?"  
  
Artemis stopped struggling and said in a deliberately frozen voice, "My life? You mean to say that if I don't win, you'll kill me?" He bared his teeth at the boy, eyes glaring menacingly.  
  
Ace grinned, bouncing away again, "No, of course not, my friend! I would never kill you." He gestured to a video camera in the corner, "But," his eyes hardened briefly, "They would." Ace turned back around, "They set this all up, you know. I was taken, just as you were. . .although I came willingly because I was unaware of the consequences of losing. I'm the chess champ of the underworld, you know. Best of the best, they say. And so I'm pitted against the best of the best in plots and ingenious trickery. What a matchup, aye?"  
  
Artemis didn't answer for several moments, allowing all of this information to digest through his system, "So, you've your life in jeopardy as well? Why would they do this, I wonder--"  
  
His musing was abruptly cut off by a voice booming throughout the cramped white room, "GET TO PLAYING OR WE'LL KILL YOU BOTH RIGHT NOW."  
  
Ace sighed, hanging his head dejectedly, "I guess we'd better get to playing then." With a flick of his wrist, the bonds on Artemis' limbs were released, and a table appeared in the center of the room, with an ominous gun on the side.  
  
Artemis picked it up, noting that there was a remote controlled safety on its side. It would not fire until the safety was released. Satisfied with its stability, Artemis joined Ace at the table, "You may go first." He stated calmly, as though not affected by these circumstances.  
  
Ace nodded, gulping down a lump in his throat. Trembling digits clenched a Pawn in his hand before placing down, two spaces ahead of where it used to be. "Whatever happens, Artemis, just know that I'm sorry. By the way, my name's Ace." His attempted smile resembled a lemon-sucking grimace, and he appeared near a nervous breakdown.  
  
Artemis nodded assuringly, moving his piece deliberately and calmly, "How old are you, Ace?" He inquired, setting his pawn down and staring down into the eyes which so mirrored his own.  
  
Ace fingered a knight, "I'm 17." He said quietly, finally moving another pawn. "My birthday was next month."  
  
Artemis replied, surveying the board with a calculated air of determination, "I am 14 years old. My birthday comes soon enough." A plot was already being churned out in his mind and he implemented it by moving another pawn and declining to take Ace's carelessly moved piece, "Come on, Ace. You can play better than this."  
  
Ace paused for a long time, saying in a guttural, pained voice, "Yeah, I can, but I'm trying to lose. I don't want to beat you and see you killed, kid." He sipped waveringly at the glass of water, popping several pills into his mouth, "Vitamin E." He explained, although his eyes suggested something else.  
  
Artemis' eyes narrowed suspiciously, "Oh really?" He said, innocently enough, but with a faint accusing undertone, "I wouldn't think that you'd need that many."  
  
Ace practically snarled at the 14-year old genius, "It's none of your business what I take, you idiotic brat! Stop bugging me, and let's just get this stupid game over with!" His skin was pale now, nearly translucent, and his pupils were dilated.  
  
Artemis also noted that his hands had stopped trembling, and he now moved almost viciously, seeming to slam the pieces down onto the board. These were definitely signs of drug abuse, most certainly not Vitamin E. A very odd feeling came over Artemis just then, and he was definitely unaccustomed to this feeling. It was concern. . . "Ace?" he asked uncertainly, "If something's wrong, you could tell me."  
  
Ace moved again, eyes flickering back and forth darkly. Naked fear shone in his hazed eyes, glazed over by the drug's effects, "Nuthin." he mumbled under his breath, just loud enough to be heard, "I ain't dun nuthin wrong."  
  
A lapse in vocabulary.definitely not a good sign. Artemis reverted back to his usual self, stifling a huge yawn. Suddenly all the lights went out and two beds came up. The voice came over the loudspeaker again, "YOU BOTH WILL GO TO SLEEP, NOW!"  
  
Then, silence reigned as they both fell prey to one of the few adversaries that could cause nations' downfalls. . .sleep. Artemis slept long and hard, plagued by nightmares and terrible visions of death.  
  
Ace was perched lightly on the edge of his bed when Artemis awakened. His eyes were apologetic now, and repenting, "I'm sorry, man. I just-this is just too much for me to handle."  
  
The ever present loudspeaker screamed, "YOU WILL PLAY. NOW!" There was a muffled curse as the man tried to turn it off and couldn't figure it out. Finally, he managed to cut it off, and silence was the leader.  
  
Ace walked over to the chess board, tracing a light finger over his king, "It's your turn, Artemis." He said neutrally, as though afraid to show any emotion.  
  
Artemis sat down, and so it continued. They talked back and forth, though conversation never managed to last long, as both knew what would happen once the game was won. Nearly four hours later, Ace leaned back, tears glimmering on his eyelashes. "Check, Arty." He choked out.  
  
Artemis looked down to see that he was, indeed, in check. He moved his king out of the way and tried vainly to comfort Ace, "It's okay, my friend. Somehow, this will all work out. I'm sure of it."  
  
Ace shook his head, moving again. "I can't make myself lose Artemis. The board is magnetic. If I try to move in a way that will deliberately cost myself, it won't let the piece move."  
  
Artemis nodded, for he had noticed the magnetic board some time before, "Yes, I know. There is no use crying over what you cannot change." The truth was, Artemis was badly frightened. Chess had never been a favorite of Artemis' and he never played it, unless he had to.  
  
Ace moved, closer this time, and marking the ending stretch of the game, "Check." He said, in an even quieter voice. His hands were shaky, and an infinite number of unshed tears shimmering in his hurting azure eyes.  
  
Artemis felt as though a weight were pressing in on his chest, and it was difficult to breathe. He moved again, swifter this time, as though he could somehow outrun the pieces that spelled out his doom.  
  
Ace moved, just as fast as Artemis, "Check." His voice broke, and he buried his face in his hands, crying silently now.  
  
Artemis transferred another piece, which was promptly taken by Ace. "Check." Said Artemis for Ace. Artemis kept running, until he realized that his king was backed into a corner. Ace had only one move to take. . .and it would be the death of Artemis.  
  
Ace stood beside the table for a long time, what seemed like an eternity. Then, he looked at Artemis, a tearing regret and self-hatred shining in his soul, "I'm sorry." He gulped, moving the final piece into position. He hesitated again before beginning to sob, "Checkmate, Artemis. I'm so, so, sorry!" He cried as the gun's safety unlocked itself automatically.  
  
The hateful voice came over the intercom again, "SHOOT HIM NOW. ONE OF YOU MUST DIE TONIGHT."  
  
Suddenly, a burst of understanding broke onto his face and Ace slowly smiled, although he was still crying, "Artemis, one of us has to die."  
  
Artemis' mind had stopped working, and he thought 'Oh no, Ace has snapped, he's gonna kill me after all.' He nodded, standing up straight and proud, "I understand, Ace. It's only what you have to do."  
  
Ace picked up the gun slowly, aiming it at Artemis, staring down the sights. "You know what, kid?" He said softly, "I've always wondered what it's like to be an angel in the heavens." Ace gave Artemis one last, cocky, slow grin, before turning the pistol on himself, "I guess this is the only way to find out." But, before he pulled the trigger, he said, "Just don't let me die for nothing, kiddo. Sacrificing for your friends is something you shouldn't think twice about doing."  
  
Artemis could hear his heart pounding in his ears as he shouted, "NO!" And ran at Ace as the resounding crack of the pistol signaled the end of a decent person's life. Someone who didn't deserve to die. Someone named Ace. Artemis knelt on the ground beside his lifeless body, too numb to weep. Ace didn't deserve to die. He had won. . .he had had the right to kill Artemis, and yet he didn't. Why?  
  
Artemis was escorted home under anesthesia and placed in his bed. When he awoke again, there was no evidence that he had ever left. Artemis thought about Ace. He had called Artemis his friend. . .and had died in his place. How crazy was that?  
  
Excerpt From Artemis Fowl's Diary, Disk 3  
  
(encrypted)  
  
I still am unable to believe that Ace gave up his life for me. Who knew that people could be so selfless? So caring? I never even considered that someone, whom I scarcely knew, would even consider dying for me. Is there something more important than clinging to life after all? I want to know, for this is the greatest mystery, with perhaps the simplest answer of all.  
  
(End of excerpt)  
  
John 15:13- Greater love hath no man, than he who would lay down his life for his friends. 


End file.
